Chapter Text
“Another practice. Another day. Another hell,”
That thought was ringing through Teto’s mind at her practice today.
Step back, wave your hands, do a twirl, fake a smile, smile, look more happy. Teto tried to perfect her choreography the best she could. Maybe she could perfect it if her body didn’t hurt as much. Her stomach growled loudly. Demanding food, or anything to fill it. Her body also ached in pain.
Maybe it was from her manager demanding her to practice every waking moment of her already packed day. Or maybe it was related to her not eating a proper diet. Even for an idol's diets, Teto's was even more limited. Something about how it would cause her “not friendly” chimera parts to grow out more noticeable.
Teto scoffed at that thought. Not even like they would allow her to eat raw meat anyway. The press would have her head if they saw her eating it. Or maybe they would enjoy it. Then they would have something to talk and gossip about. Ugh, what a pain in her chimera butt.
Teto snapped back into the present. She accidentally tripped on her foot and almost fell. She was able to quickly catch herself and tried her best to recover her pose.
“Start all over! Again!” Teto’s manager's unenthusiastic voice called out from the lower section of the theater she was practicing in. He sat all comfy in his chair. His eye’s always glaring at her body. Looking for something to criticize. Something that she was unknowingly doing wrong.
“It was a simple trip Mr. Stone!” Teto rasped her clearly worn out voice towards him.
“Nonesence!” He yelled back. “You’re messing up on purpose! So stop being a lazy bum and get back to work! I’m not letting you cry wolf again to get out of practice!”
Teto frowned at his comment and repositioned herself for the start of the song. She didn’t want to fight him. She still remembers the last time that happened. The chimera could feel her legs shake. Crap, she was getting too tired. Teto wasn’t sure how long she could continue on with this. How long was she stuck in this damn room for? She wasn’t even sure. She just knew she was in pain and had to continue on.
“Sir, I don’t think- I don’t feel good,” Teto gasped out, she started to feel light headed. Everything was wrong. Her body hurt. The lights were too bright for her sensitive eyes. They felt like they were almost burning her skin. Her voice stunk with each note sung.
“I don’t care,” Mr. Stone responded coldly, unmoved by the small chimera’s pleas. “You will be getting this perfect. Or your fans will despise you. Or do you need to skip your dinner again to save on the time you lost?”
“Ok ok,” Teto whispered back, she quickly looked down at the floor. The rest was a blur. Teto didn’t think she ever looked back up from the floor.
Step back, wave your hands, do a twirl, fake a smile, smile, look more happy.
“Another practice. Another day. Another hell,” That was the thought that continued ringing through Teto’s mind.
…
She barely made it back to her room. She didn’t even have a place of her own. She was forced to live at the studio. Her manager explained that it would allow her to save time on the road, which would allow her to spend more time here and be more productive. Practicing.
Teto opened her door. It didn’t even have a lock on it. Again her manager's ideas. Something about needing access to her at all times. She didn’t have the energy to groan at the thought of that. Teto walked into her small room. She put down her bags and closed the door.
There was food on the counter top. Beckoning her towards it. Teto’s stomach growled at the sight of it. But she didn’t have the energy. She didn’t even have the energy for anything. Not to even eat. Not to undress. Not to wind the day down. She just walked over to her coach and flopped down on it. She didn’t take her nice performing clothes off. She didn’t even take off her uncomfortable wing binder. Teto just needed some rest. That’s all.
…
The door slammed open. Teto jumped out of the coach and looked towards the loud intruder. But instead of relief that it was her manager, she felt even more dread. She must have slept in late.
“TETO!” He yelled angrily at her and stormed over to her. He looked at her and grabbed her wrist and pulled her slightly up. “You’re ten minutes late to rehearsal and the filming! GET UP NOW!” He let her arm go and walked over to the light switch and flicked it on.
The lights to her room turned on and burnt her eyes. Teto groaned a little at them and slowly got up. If her body didn’t hurt as much she would be running around the room getting ready, but she just didn’t have the energy.
“You have ten minutes!” He ordered her. “Hurry up!” He huffed and walked out of the room. Teto heard the door slam. She was surprised that he didn’t comment on her unchanged outfit. He must be pretty mad at her. Whatever.
Teto walked over to the bathroom and started to prepare for another day. Just another one. She took off her outfit and carefully hung it on a hanger in her bathroom. She wanted to burn it, but her manager would actually kill her for that. She looked up at the mirror and saw that her wing binder was still on. She could feel her wings uncomfortably shift under them. It would be nice for one day to have them out, but that was too risky.
Teto sighed and threw on the outfit for the day. She threw some basic makeup on and walked out of her bathroom. She graded her bags and walked out of her room. Her manager was outside impatiently waiting for her.
“Great!” He spoke up and grabbed her wrist forcefully and started to walk with her towards the filming room. “Since you overslept, I’m assuming you forgot what today is, right?” He nastily spat the last word out. Teto nodded her head. She didn’t want to fight him, not this early.
“Well, you got an important interview with THE HATSUNE MIKU! I got you booked as a special guest in her show,” He explained to her.
“Static?” Teto lightly question.
“So you do know something, don’t you!” He snapped back in a sarcastic tone. Teto didn’t respond.
The two got to the filming room, which had been already decorated for the show today. It looked like a kids show. Bright colors and fun shapes. The room had a tv in the middle of it with a coach next to it. Teto assumed Miku would talk out the tv with her on the coach. She could faintly remember her manager telling her that it was a qna with Miku.
“Don’t mess this up,” Her manager whispered to her.
“Ok,” Teto responded back quietly, she didn’t even have the guts to look up at him. “Could I at least eat something?” She asked him while kicking at the floor.
“You can eat after the show! Since you thought sleep was more important than breakfast,” Mr. Stone scolded her.
Teto felt like she wanted to cry. She didn’t eat dinner and now she had to wait longer to eat again. She was so hungry. But it was her fault for sleeping in. She deserved it. Even if she thought she deserved it, her body didn’t. She wished she could get rid of this light feeling in her head.
“Hello! HELLO! Teto right! It’s nice to meet you!” Someone yelled out to the chimera. Teto looked around until she looked down to see a much shorter teal haired person in front of her. She kindly waved to her.
“AH!” Teto spat out accidentally, she held her hand out towards her. “MISS MIKU! It’s great to meet you!”
“And it is nice to meet you too!” Miku chirped back happily. She shook Teto's hand.
“Are you ready for today?” Miku asked her.
“Oh course! Kasane Teto has prepared for this special day for a long time now!” Her manager responded.
Miku looked at him and then back at Teto. “Well, is Teto ready and excited?” She re-asked her question.
“Ahh Yes! And I am excited!” Teto quickly responded. She saw what seemed to be Miku’s manager walk over to the group.
“That's a great Teto! Let's go over here! And leave these boring managers to talk amongst themselves!” Miku said and pushed Teto away from the two managers.
“Ah, are you sure? I might need to know what to do today,” Teto worryingly asked the teal haired girl.
“What it’s just a simple qna and then at the last question you are going to show off your new song!” Miku pointed out.
“Oh yeah,” Teto said back quietly. “Sorry I’m pretty tired,”
“I can tell!” Miku jokingly said back. “How much sleep do you get? Do you need something to eat?”
“No no. I’m fine,” Teto lied. “I’m just really excited to meet you.”
“Are you sure?” Miku questioned her slight concern on her face.
“Hey! Let's start filming!” Teto’s manager yelled out to the two and the crew. “Kasane Teto and Miku have pretty tight schedules so let’s get a move on!”
Miku looked at Teto with slight concern on her face, but walked over to her manager to get ready.
“Teto,” The chimera heard her manager come up behind her. “Let’s get ready. You have to be perfect.”
“Yes sir,” Teto responded.
…
The filming started. The crew gave the thumbs up to show that they could start. Teto sat on a colorful red coach. She wished just for once the lights didn’t shine so bright on her, but that was just her whining about unimportant things.
The tv in front of her turned on and the theme song of Static started to play. Teto hummed it to herself. She was kinda a big fan of her show. Then at the end Miku popped out of the tv and stood right in front of her. She did a cute little twirl and pointed at Teto. She looked at the camera and smiled brightly.
“Welcome EVERYONE!” The short girl happily spoke. “In this wonderful episode of Static, I have the upcoming idol star KASANE TETO! Can we give her a round of applause for her!”
The room filled up with happy claps towards the two. Teto wondered to herself how many actually cared for her, or was just doing it because Miku asked them to.
“Why thank you Miku!” Teto responded and smiled towards the short girl. Miku turned back and smiled back even brighter. She could block out the sun with how much light was coming from her smile.
“Well I got some fun questions for you today! Would you mind answering them?” Miku asked her. Teto nodded her head.
“I’m all for it!” Teto chattered back.
“Great! Now just let me get a seat!” Miku giggled as she pulled out a chair from nowhere. Teto gasped at how she was able to pull off that trick.
“Suprised by a little magic trick!” Miku chirped towards her. “Well don’t be too surprised! I am a cartoon, hehe!” The girl giggled and sat down. She then pulled out a piece of paper and cartoonish small glasses out of her sleeves.
“So miss Teto, how old are you?” Miku asked her first question.
“Oh I’m seventeen!” Teto responded.
“Oh wow, so young! Well, actually not that young since I’m 17 and half!” Miku beamed out. Teto giggled a little at that, until the audience started to laugh with them. It was a little unsettling to her.
“Alrigtht alright next question! What is your favorite food?” Miku asked another question.
“Um wow, that would be a hard choice! I would have to say baguettes! I’m just a big fan of bread!” Teto replied. At least she was being honest.
“Ah a big old baguette I see! Good choice I will say! If you didn’t know, I love a good old leek!” Miku responded.
“Leeks are good! You must be pretty healthy if your favorite food is a vegetable! Maybe that’s why you’re so short!” Teto joked back. For a quick second Teto saw something twist uncomfortably in Miku’s face, but it quickly disappeared under a happy smile. Teto wanted to look at it longer, but the thought of food made her stomach twist and made her head feel light. For once, she was actually enjoying something, but deep down she wished it would be over quickly, for her sake.
“Well, one needs to eat all types of food to stay healthy or you just won’t grow!” Miku responded. “NEXT question!” Miku flipped the page and read out the next question. “Ohh, here's a pretty good one! What inspires you to get up every day!” Miku asked.
“Ah it would have to be my fans!” Teto replied. “They really get me going when I feel hopeless. They make sure I stay in the right lane and motivate me to not mess up!” Teto explained, but she could feel in her gut that was a lie. In reality, it was her manager forcing her to.
"Fans are important!” Miku cheered and looked towards the camera and waved.
“Yeah,” Teto quietly responded. Her head was startling to feel light. She saw Miku look at her with concern on her face, but her eyes quickly flicked towards the camera and back to the somewhat unwell looking girl. She seemed like she wanted to ask her if she was ok, but quickly went back to normal.
“Alrightly! One more question for the great Teto!” Miku beamed out loudly. “I have heard some rumors that you have a new song coming out soon! Is this true and could we get some information about it?” Miku inquired about her. “If of course, you're willing to share!” She quickly added. Teto knew that she added this as a way for her to get out of it, but her manager would have her head if she didn’t do what they planned.
To show off a part of the new song, with its dance of course. It didn’t matter, Teto just needed to get through this and then she could faint off stage.
“Well I wouldn’t want to disappoint the audience!” Teto spoke up trying to sound happy. She stood up and slowly walked over to the middle of the stage. She could hear Miku fake a happy gasp, but her face didn’t share the same sentiment.
The music turned on and all the lights pointed straight at her. Teto started her little dance. She just needed to rely on her muscle memory. She stepped back then waved her hands and turned into a twirl on the beat of the music. She tried her best to sing with it, but she was startling to lag behind. As she twirled around she felt her head start to get even more fuzzy.
Teto thought the black bots in her vision were from the lights pointed at her, but something was clearly off. Crap. No she had to make it through this. For everyone here. For her fans. For Miku. For herself.
Teto tried to complete the twirl, but her head was too light now. The music was awfully distorted in her head. Was she still singing? All her senses were blurring together into an unholy black void. Teto felt someone try to grab her, but it clearly failed as she fell to the ground hard and lost consciousness.
…
Teto slowly woke up in a comfortable bed. To a loud machine ringing right next to her. It stood on a stand and had some bags and blocks of machines hanging on it. Oh, it was an IV machine. Oh. That means she is in the hospital.
Teto looked around the room. She saw a whiteboard with some unreadable handwriting on it. She hoped that it was because of the person’s handwriting and not her vision. She then saw a tray of food to her side. She tried to reach out to it and saw that she was hooked up to the IV machine. That’s not going to be fun to take out later.
Teto groaned at that thought. How long was she here for? What happened? She thought for a bit and remembered the show.
“Oh great. She fainted. Ugh she will never hear the end of it from Mr. Stone,” Teto groaned to herself.
“Kasane Teto is awake?” An oddly robotic voice spoke up. Teto looked over and saw an orange haired girl staring at her. Her face is unchanging and unmoving. Like she was stating a matter of fact.
“Ahhh,” Teto said in surprise to this mysterious person. “Who are you and why are you in my room?”
“I am Adachi Rei,” She responded plainly and robotically. “I am here because your father requested me to assist you with getting better,” The robot explained.
“Huh?” Teto stated and stared at her.